National soccer player Marc-Andre ter Stegen has experienced a disappointing and turbulent return to the goal of FC Barcelona. Outgoing coach Xavi Hernandez’s team couldn’t get past a 3-3 (1-1) draw against second-to-last FC Granada on Sunday and lost two more points to their arch-rivals Real Madrid in the one-sided championship race.
The Madrilenians, who defeated rivals FC Girona 4-0 (2-0) on Saturday, thanks largely to former Bundesliga star Jude Bellingham, are now ten points ahead of the Catalans on course for their 36th title. Lamine Yamal (14th/81st) and former Bayern star Robert Lewandowski (63rd), who scored on an assist from Ilkay Gündogan, secured Barca at least one point in a wild game on Sunday evening.
Ricard Sanchez (43rd), Facundo Pellistri (60th) and Ignasi Miquel (66th) even made the guests dream of an away win at times. Captain ter Stegen was powerless to concede the first two goals. He initially cleared Miquel’s header onto the post, but from there the ball hit his left hand and flew over the goal line.
The former Gladbacher had missed his club’s last 16 competitive games due to a back injury. Without Ter Stegen, Barca were eliminated from the Spanish Cup in the quarter-finals and lost 4-1 to arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Super Cup final.
Now national coach Julian Nagelsmann can plan with Ter Stegen again. At the start of the European Championship year with the international matches in Lyon against runner-up world champion France on March 23rd and three days later in Frankfurt against the Netherlands, long-time captain Manuel Neuer from Bayern Munich is also expected back.
Pursuer Atletico Madrid suffered a defeat in the fight for the Champions League places with a 0-1 (0-1) draw at Sevilla FC and is three points behind Barca. Coach Diego Simeone’s team is also worried about striker Alvaro Morata. The Spanish international injured his knee in a collision in the first half and had to leave the pitch in tears in front of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.